Toleration of Traffic by Vegetation: Life Form Conclusions and Summary Extracts from a Comprehensive Data Base

Abstract

/ An exhaustive search of the literature for foot and vehicle traffic impacts on vegetation has yielded more than 400 citations, two thirds of which held sufficient detail to be usefully distilled into a personal-computer data base. A total of 1444 individual observations involving 737 species that were trampled are included. Compromises were made in the depth of entry detail and to allow comparability among data. Inconsistent, generally short-term, experimental practices disallowed formal statistical analyses. Within those constraints, graminoids emerged with the highest mean resistance and resilience among life-forms. Climbers and cactoids ranked lowest in these categories. The herbaceous, typically broader-leaved (forb) life-form appeared most likely to suffer immediate losses. Shrubs and trees had the longest-lasting decreases in diversity following traffic impact. All life-forms had sensitive species. The greatest general species and individual plant losses take place in the first few passes by feet, wheels, or tracks. Plant and soil damage increases with the amount of weight and power applied. Greater soil moisture and/or deeper overstory shading magnify those impacts. Additional precepts may become apparent to data-base users through increased ease in making comparisons.KEY WORDS: Vegetation; Trampling; Vehicles; Traffic; Resistance; Resilience; Data base

Recreational trampling negatively impacts vegetation structure of an Australian biodiversity hotspot

“…One reason could be that the vegetation community at SRNP had the highest proportion of grasses and non-living material relative to the other two national parks. Previous studies have indicated that the grass life form is more resistant and resilient to trampling than shrub life forms (Sun and Liddle 1993c;Liddle 1997;Yorks et al 1997;Whinam and Chilcott 1999;Hill and Pickering 2009). …”

“…In this study the slow or absence of growth of dominant plant genera (Hakea, Acacia, Banksia, Melaleuca, Leucopogon and Verticordia) (Table 2) evident over a 12-month period thus relates to the propensity for plant growth to be naturally limited by the availability of water and nutrients (e.g. Yorks et al 1997;Specht and Specht 1999;Hopper and Gioia 2004). Malmivaara-Lamsa et al (2008) found that in Finland the tolerance (combining resistance and resilience) of vegetation increased with fertility of the soil.…”

Intensive research activity alters short‐term seedling dynamics in a tropical forest

“…Trampling may increase mortality and reduce recruitment of seedlings and small saplings, biasing estimates of population dynamic rates. In addition, because species differ in their ability to tolerate and recover from physical damage (Boucher et al 1991;Ickes et al 2003;Yorks et al 1997), trampling by researchers could potentially cause shifts in the structure and composition of vegetation.…”

Efeitos do pisoteio humano experimental sobre a vegetação em fragmentos de Floresta Pluvial Tropical Atlântica, São Paulo, Brasil

“…Uma das questões que mais preocupam em relação aos impactos da visitação sobre as áreas naturais e que tem sido alvo de numerosos estudos diz respeito dos efeitos do pisoteio humano sobre a vegetação (COLE, 1995aLIDDLE, 1991, 1993a, YORKS et al, 1997.…”

“…Muitos dos trabalhos em Ecologia da Recreação dos últimos anos vêm tratando de indicar quais espécies são capazes de sobreviver em áreas impactadas pelo pisoteio, quais espécies recuperam melhor e por que umas espécies resistem e/ou recuperam melhor do que outras (LIDDLE, 1991;YORKS et al, 1997).…”